The 37th Galway Film Fleadh (8-13 July) came to a close on Sunday night with a packed screening of The Life of Chuck, directed by Mike Flanagan and based on the novella by Stephen King. The event marked the culmination of a vibrant six-day celebration of bold storytelling and cinematic craft, which included 97 features – 44 of them Irish – and over 100 shorts from Ireland and abroad.

Audiences and industry delegates gathered from around the world to take part in the festivities, which showcased emerging and established talents across a wide variety of genres and formats. Among the highlights of this year’s awards ceremony was the announcement of Best Irish Film, presented in association with Element Pictures, which went to the Irish-British co-production Christy [+leggi anche:
recensione
intervista: Brendan Canty
scheda film], penned by Alan O’Gorman, directed by Brendan Canty, and produced by Marina Brackenbury, Meredith Duff and Rory Gilmartin.

Originally premiered in the Generation strand of this year’s Berlinale, the pic follows two estranged brothers, shaped by turbulent childhoods in the care system, who are unexpectedly brought together under one roof, forcing them to confront their past and redefine their future. The cast includes Danny Power, Diarmuid Noyes and Emma Willis, with Chris Walley, Alison Oliver and Helen Behan playing supporting roles.

Meanwhile, Horseshoe, the debut feature by Edwin Mullane and Adam O’Keeffe, took home the Award for Best Irish First Feature, whilst Gar O’Rourke’s Sanatorium [+leggi anche:
trailer
intervista: Gar O’Rourke
scheda film] was awarded Best Irish Feature Documentary, supported by Danú Media.

Finally, the Award for Best International Feature was bestowed upon Dragonfly [+leggi anche:
recensione
scheda film] by Paul Andrew Williams (UK). The film revolves around Colleen (Andrea Riseborough) and her elderly neighbour Elsie (Brenda Blethyn), who form an unlikely bond until unsettling motives and a violent turn upend their lives.

The Galway Film Fleadh is supported by The Arts Council of Ireland, Screen Ireland, TG4, Coimisiún na Meán, Galway City Council and Fáilte Ireland.

Below is the full list of this year’s award winners:

Best International Feature Film
Dragonfly [+leggi anche:
recensione
scheda film] – Paul Andrew Williams (UK)

Best International Documentary
Gerry Adams – A Ballymurphy Man – Trisha Ziff (USA/Mexico)

Best International Independent Film
Adult Children – Rich Newey (USA)

Bingham Ray New Talent Award
Jessica Reynolds – The Wolf, the Fox and the Leopard [+leggi anche:
recensione
scheda film] (Ireland)

World Cinema Competition
Winter in Sokcho [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Koya Kamura
scheda film] – Koya Kamura (France)

Peripheral Visions Award
Vitrival – The Most Beautiful Village in the World [+leggi anche:
recensione
intervista: Noëlle Bastin, Baptiste Bo…
scheda film] – Noëlle Bastin, Baptiste Bogaert (Belgium)

Generation Jury Award
Where the Wind Comes From [+leggi anche:
recensione
intervista: Amel Guellaty
scheda film] – Amel Guellaty (Tunisia/France/Qatar)

Best Irish Film
Christy [+leggi anche:
recensione
intervista: Brendan Canty
scheda film] – Brendan Canty (Ireland/UK)

Best Irish First Feature
Horseshoe – Edwin Mullane, Adam O’Keeffe (Ireland)

Best Irish Feature Documentary
Sanatorium [+leggi anche:
trailer
intervista: Gar O’Rourke
scheda film] – Gar O’Rourke (Ireland/Ukraine)

Best Irish-language Feature Film
Báite – Ruán Magan (Ireland)

Best Independent Irish Film (ex aequo)
Solitary – Eamon Murphy (Ireland)
Girls & Boys – Donncha Gilmore (Ireland)

Best Cinematography in an Irish Film
Maurice O’Brien – Listen to the Land Speak (Ireland)

Audience Award
Trad – Lance Daly (Ireland)

Best International Short Animation
Luz Diabla – Paula Boffo, Gervasio Canda, Patricio Plaza (Argentina/Canada)

Joe McMahon Award for Best International Short Drama/Fiction
Heat Me – Kelly Sarri (USA/Greece)

Best International Short Documentary (ex aequo)
The Miracle of Life – Sabrine Khoury (Palestine/Netherlands)
We Were the Scenery – Christophere Radcliff (USA/Canada)

Best Short Documentary
Dragon’s Teeth – Lennart Soberon (Belgium)

Tiernan McBride Award for Best Short Drama
Three Keenings – Oliver McGoldrick (UK/Ireland/USA)

Best First Short Animation
One Track Mind – Faye Isherwood-Wallace (UK)

James Flynn Award for Best First Short Drama
Internal Bleeding – Zoë Nolan (Ireland)

James Horgan Award for Best Animation Short
Éiru – Giovanna Ferrari (Ireland)

Best Cinematography in a Short Film
John Christopher – The Axe Forgets (Ireland)

Best Documentary Project
John Lennon’s Island – Gary Lennon (Ireland)

Audience Design Award
Beneath the Surface – Fiona Ashe (Ireland)

Best Marketplace Project
Ten Mickeys – Cristian Nicolescu (Romania)

The Pitching Award
The Body + Blood – Carol Murphy (Ireland)